Breaking News

Editorials

Thanks and congratulations Kristi Reinke

The Minot Daily News congratulates Kristi Reinke, a social studies teacher at Jim Hill Middle School who was named the 2021 State Teacher of the Year at a ceremony in Bismarck on Monday. According to the office of North Dakota Department of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler, Reinke is now also a candidate for the national Teacher of the Year award, which is named by the Council of Chief State School Officers in Washington, D.C. The organization typically names four finalists in January and the national Teacher of the Year honoree in the spring. “Every day, Mrs. Reinke’s goal is ...

Get the flu shot soon

Mention vaccines these days, and chances are the talk will be about when some protection against COVID-19 can be expected. Another killer is about to take the stage, however. “Regular” influenza — actually multiple viruses that vary in threat level, depending on the year — strikes annually. Fortunately, vaccines against it are available already. Influenza kills tens of thousands of Americans every year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu claimed as many as 62,000 lives in this country during the 2019-20 season. It is important to note that ...

A greater possible shutdown looms

Despite an effort by a bipartsan coalition of dozens of members of Congress, agreement on a new COVID-19 relief bill seems no closer than a month ago. More disturbing than the failure of negotiators is what appears to be a willingness to just let the issue go. At least there will be no “government shutdown.” Democrats and Republicans in Congress, as well as White House negotiators, are continuing. A spending bill needs to be approved by the end of this month to avoid suspension of some federal government activities. Even that measure, as bad as a partial shutdown of government ...

Guidelines for who gets vaccine first needed now

Though there is some dispute over how soon a COVID-19 vaccine will be available to the general public, it appears a few million doses may be ready before the end of this year. There is general agreement they should go to the most vulnerable among us. That is older people with pre-existing medical conditions. We know that. But if there is any agreement on vaccine rationing — and what will happen will be just that — it ends there. Clearly, specific guidelines for distribution will have to be developed. They ought to be in the form of guidelines at the federal level, with concrete ...

Ginsburg model of standing up for what one believes to be right

The Notorious RBG, as some admirers referred to her, is gone. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Friday, at 87, of cancer. She was an icon to Americans with certain political positions — a scourge to others. Already, the battle over a successor has become heated, with ideology at the heart of the controversy. It says something about Ginsburg, however, that during the hours after her death, leaders from throughout the political spectrum poured forth praise freely and with no reservations. Her written opinions as a justice “have inspired all Americans and ...

Guidelines needed for trick-or-treating

At least there will be no shortage of masks. So goes one joke about Halloween 2020. It will be upon us in just a few weeks. And, while it may not seem a priority to many in government at all levels, it needs to be addressed. Halloween rivals Christmas in some ways in popularity among children. Each October, they delight in dressing up and ringing doorbells or knocking on doors, greeting people with, “Trick or treat!” We adults — many of us, anyway — enjoy seeing them. Is that Joey from down the street behind that superhero mask? Is that Susie from school dressed up as ...